The Best Christmas Gift is Family
by Teddy1008
Summary: It's Christmas time, and little Harry Snape goes to search for the best Christmas present for his father, Severus Snape. What he doesn't know is the amount of mischief and trouble he gets into. Only at the end, does he realize that the best gift is being together as a family on this snowy day. NO SLASH!


**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. No disrespect is intended by writing this story. Anything you recognize from Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and anyone who was involved in the making of it.**

 **Author's Note: This will be a oneshot of Harry and Severus Snape. Please enjoy this little holiday gift from me! In this story, Harry is seven, living with his father Severus Snape. Please REVIEW at the end!**

 **Summary: It's Christmas time, and little Harry Snape goes to search for the best Christmas present for his father, Severus Snape. What he doesn't know is the amount of mischief and trouble he gets into. Only at the end, does he realize that the best gift is being together as a family on this snowy day. NO SLASH!**

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Young, little and innocent Harry Snape woke up. It was currently 6:30 in the morning. Harry yawned and rubbed his eyes, stretching and rolling in the huge bed. He sat up, and let his eyes wander. His eyes widened when he saw the date.

December 25th.

Christmas.

And only then did he remember that he had not remembered to get his father a present. Harry groaned softly and buried his face in his hands, being careful to keep quiet and not wake up his dad. He slowly clambered out of his bed and put on his socks and crept out silently.

He peeked into his father's room. Severus Snape was still in bed, sleeping quietly and soundly. Being careful to stay quiet, Harry backed away and tip-toed down the stairs. He bit his lip as he stared at the presents laid under the Christmas tree. He read each name tag.

Auntie (Minerva McGonagall). Dad (Severus Snape). Grandpa (Albus Dumbledore). Hagrid, Uncle Flitwick, and many others. But he had not gotten a present for any of them. Frowning, he glanced up the stairs.

Silence.

An idea came to his head and young Harry Snape smiled. His father was sleeping, and it was only 6:30. Perhaps ... he had just enough time to sneak out and get his father a present. He hesitated for only a moment before putting on his coat and hat and gloves. At least his dad wouldn't scold him for not putting on his gloves and hat now. He grabbed ten gold galleons from his father's sack where he kept the coins and put it into an old pouch. It would be enough to get a present.

He put on his snow boots and stepped out. It wasn't snowing much, just a few snowflakes drifted down every once in a while. Giggling, Harry stuck his tongue and tried to catch snowflakes until he remembered that he should hurry. He didn't have much time. His father would wake up around 8:30-9, so that gave him about 2 and a half hours.

Hurrying, he frowned when the pathway forked. He remembered that his father always took him to the right pathway to get to Hogwarts, and then from Hogwarts he had to take the path that was straight forward to get to Hogsmeade.

Nodding determinedly, Harry took the right pathway. Hopefully he was correct. He walked on and on, and began to wonder if he was wrong and should have taken the left path when he saw a bit of the school poking into his view on the left side of him.

Harry stopped, turning around. He had to get to Hogwarts first to get to Hogsmeade but a rather icy looking river was between him and the castle. Frowning and nibbling on his lip, unsure of what to do, he shifted. His father always took him to the castle by Floo, but that had been out of the idea because his father would hear the Floo activating.

Sighing, Harry looked for something. Anything. It was too far to jump. If only there was a branch or stone. He spotted a boulder sticking out of the cold water and decided that was the only option. He hesitated before jumping onto it. What he had not expected was the boulder to be frozen. Yelping, Harry felt himself fall back and ... land right into the water. His gloves floated downstream, leaving his hand icy. Gasping, Harry flailed, trying to grab onto something. Panicking, he felt himself begin to sink and regretted the fact that he couldn't swim. Well, he would certainly ask his father to teach him how after this!

He felt something tug on the collar of his shirt and drag him up. He was placed on the snowy ground, shivering and cold. Harry sniffled before looking up. He gasped when he felt a tongue licking his cold, gloveless hands. It was a dog, a black and scruffy dog with matted fur, and it was _huge_.

"Eeek!" he squeaked, falling back. The dog stared at him and woofed gently before pawing at him. Carefully and cautiously, Harry slowly leaned forward. The dog brushed its fur and scrawny body around Harry's cold shivering body, and soon Harry's coat was dry. The dog's fur had somehow soaked up the dampness.

"Aren't you cold now?" Harry asked worriedly. What if the dog got sick because of him? It would be all his fault!

The dog just tilted his head and barked softly again.

"Thank you," Harry said, brushing the snow off of his coat. "You saved me."

The dog whined a bit and pawed at him, as if trying to tell him something.

"I'll give you a name so that I can remember you forever and you can remember me forever." Harry smiled and said, "My name's Harry, Harry Snape."

The dog's nose twitched and it stared at Harry before sniffing his arm.

Giggling, Harry pushed the dog's head away gently. "I'll call you ... Paddy?" He frowned when the dog woofed. "Hmm ... He caught a glimpse of the dog's paw and said, "Padfoot! That's the name for you!"

The dog barked as if agreeing. Harry grinned but frowned when Padfoot shivered with cold. "Oh no! You're cold now!" He took off his hat and placed it on the dog's head before tying the strings to make sure the hat stayed on. His father would kill him, but it was worth it. "There! You're warm now, right?"

Padfoot wagged his tail and nudged Harry's hand with his nose.

Harry patted its head and said, "I need to go now, Padfoot." He stood up and gave the dog one last pat before turning to walk away.

The dog wagged its tail and barked. Harry waved to it before hurrying on. He was cold, and he needed to get his dad a present quickly. He passed the castle and took the path that led straight to Hogsmeade. He entered Hogsmeade and frowned. Only then did he realize that he didn't know what to get his dad.

He decided to get his dad a stirrer for when he was making potions. Surely Severus would like that. Harry entered the shop, which was empty except for the shop owner.

"Hello," Harry said with a smile.

The store owner frowned. "Are you alone?"

Harry just shrugged. The store owner's eyes narrowed and inspected Harry before exclaiming, "Blimey! Aren't you Mister Severus Snape's son?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said with a grin. "I want to get him a present. Do you have a stirrer?"

"Aye, Young Snape." The shop owner pointed and said, "Nine galleons."

Harry pulled out the sack and opened it to find it ... empty. "Oh no!" he cried. "They're gone!" He inspected the sack and found the hole at the bottom. He bit his lip and looked up to find the storeowner send off something with an owl. Harry caught a glimpse of the name.

Severus Snape.

"Hey!" he cried angrily. "What are you doing?"

"Sending a letter to your dad, Mister Snape," the store owner answered, raising an eyebrow. "Your father will surely be worried about you. I am guessing that you did not tell him before sneaking out."

Harry scowled and turned around but the store owner grabbed him by the hood of his coat and scolded, "You'll stay right here, Mister Snape! I don't fancy getting into trouble with your father, I do try to stay on his good side, you know!"

Harry pouted. Not five minutes later, Severus Snape stormed into the shop, demanding, "Where is he?"

Harry bit his lip when Severus caught sight of him. "Come here, right now, Harry James Severus Snape!"

Harry flinched. Uh oh. His full name had come out. He dragged his feet to his father, and gasped when his father swept him up.

"Thank you for telling me, Albert." Severus gave a nod and the shop owner nodded back.

"My pleasure, Mister Snape."

Harry was about to stick his tongue out at Albert but pouted when Severus, as if he had read his mind, hissed in his ear, "Don't you dare be rude to Albert!"

Harry wrapped his arms around his father's neck as his father continued scolding. "What in Merlin's beard were you thinking, Harry James Severus Snape?" he hissed.

"I was going to get you a present," he whimpered. "I wanted to get you a Christmas present."

Severus placed him on the ground and crouched to his height. Harry looked down. "Harry," Severus sighed, tipping his chin up. "I don't need a present." He frowned, noticing Harry's red cheeks from the cold and said, "Child, where are your hat and gloves?"

"I lost them," Harry muttered.

Severus sighed and shook his head before picking Harry back up and continuing back home. "I'm sorry, daddy," Harry sniffled. "I tried to get you a present, I really did."

"Harry Snape, you yourself is the best gift I could ever have."

Harry was silent before wrapping his arms around his father's neck again. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Padfoot with his hat on. Grinning, Harry waved to the dog.

"Harry, who on earth are you waving to?"

"No one," Harry answered.

The two headed back home.

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 **End**

 **Author's Note: I'm sorry if you didn't like this story but I figured I should give something as a holiday gift to you all. Thanks, and PLEASE REVIEW! Tell me what you thought. Thanks again!**


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